[Jurdan] To see you again

Chapitre 3

"Can I see them?" Cardan asked when they'd returned to the building's glass door. There was a childish trepidation in him, but also the fear Jude wouldn't trust him with her child. Indeed, she hesitated, a worried frown creased her beautiful face.

"She's asleep," Jude eventually said.

"I'll be quiet as a cat," Cardan said, almost begging.

Jude gauged him, worrying the tip of her amputated finger.

"Jude, I promise you I won't wake her up, I won't try to take her away, I won't touch her without your authorization." Now Cardan was truly begging. Jude sighed.

"Alright. You can come in, but if anything happens to her-" she grabbed him by the collar, which sent a surge of desire inside Cardan, "and I mean anything! I'll kill you."

Cardan nodded, hoping it came out as serious as he was. "I won't hurt her," he promised.

For the second time this evening, Cardan climbed up the mortal stairs, which smelt like nothing he had ever smelt. Jude's home had a narrow corridor, leading to a small room that was used as a kitchen and a dining room. The automatic light cast its cold rays on a counter full of empty mugs, faded pot plants and papers. There was a sort of metallic wardrobe with pictures of Jude's family, Oak's drawings and paperwork stuck on it. On one of the counter's wooden pillars, the infamous drawing, full of holes. It represented Cardan from head to toe, unflatteringly grimacing with horrendous dark clothing and a bottle in one hand. He passed his tongue on his teeth, which were, as he had presumed his whole life, neither sharp nor protuberant from his mouth.

At the table before them, Vivienne jumped on her feet at his sight, and Hearther noticably tensed, her eyes widening with fear. This was ridiculous. Cardan wasn't a threat, and if he were, Jude wouldn't have let him in. It became even more ridiculous when Vivienne grabbed a knife, Vivienne who was, last time he had heard about her, worse than him at fighting. Which meant a lot.

Cardan extended two peaceful hands toward her.

"Why have you come up?" she snarled.

"I let him," Jude said. she sounded exhausted. It hit Cardan that mortal usually slept at night and that he must have kept Jude awake for longer than she intended to.

"I just want to see her," he said. For some reason, it became  extremely important to him to make Jude's sister understand that he meant no harm. He had already explained her that this mess was a misunderstanding, yet she remained wary. Of course, she must have expected Jude to kick him out of her life, but then he recalled how Jude had react when the baby had started crying.

"I have no intention on hurting any of you," Cardan told Vivienne again. "I just want to see her, then I'll go deal with some issues at Elfhame and then-" he eyed Jude tentatively, but her face remained of stone. "Then you might come back."

"What make you think we'll ever want to come back?" Vivienne said. Cardan winced, but before he could said anything Jude replied.

"Cardan and I made a deal. I show him Alice, he goes back to Elfhame to deal with the issues there, and when everything's safe, him and I will discuss the possibility of a return."

Alice. Jude had named her Alice, like the character in the book they ahd both read. Cardan loved her already.

Vivienne looked at her sister like she had gone mad. "Elfhame will never be safe," she said. "You think the Folks will ever treat a mortal good?"

"Maybe they'll treat their Queen right," Cardan intervened. Vivi glared at him.

"Jude, don't set your hope too high."